Limkheda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his 66th birthday amidst tribals on Saturday, stating that his government was committed to empower the ‘last man in the queue’, besides inaugurating drinking water and irrigation projects in the parched region of his poll-bound home state of Gujarat.

On his third visit within two months to Gujarat, where Assembly polls are due next year, Modi recalled the contribution of tribals in the country's freedom struggle, and promised them adequate water for drinking and irrigation. Modi inaugurated Rs 4,817 crore worth of irrigation and drinking water projects of the Gujarat government, seeking to cater to this parched region of Dahod district.

"Due to scarcity of water, my tribal brothers had to migrate and toil hard as construction labourers in extreme heat in the past. At that time, the Gujarat government (under his leadership before 2014), gave priority to water and allocated highest budget for water related projects," the Prime Minister said.

Before becoming the PM in 2014, Modi had served as the Gujarat Chief Minister for 13 years. "Today, we are inaugurating several projects for providing drinking and irrigation water at a cost of thousands of crores of rupees. We took up this task of empowering the last man on the line, so that he can also uplift the lives of others," Modi said.

He thanked the tribals for ‘raising’ him and promised to do everything possible to uplift their lives through various schemes.

"MPs of NDA selected a person, who is the son of this soil (Gujarat), as the Prime Minister. It was you who raised me. My government is committed to the welfare of the downtrodden citizens," Modi said.

The PM also recalled his earlier days when he used to roam in this district on his scooter. The BJP leader also slammed past governments at the Centre on the issue of development. He also praised farmers of the district for showing ‘progressive’ mindset.